Puri Jagannath temple's Ratna Bhandar reopened for shifting of valuables

Puri, Jul 18 (PTI) The Ratna Bhandar, the revered treasury of the 12th-century Jagannath temple in Puri, was reopened on Thursday for the second time in a week for shifting of valuables to a temporary strong room, officials said.

The treasury was reopened at 9.51 am, they said.

After offering prayers before Lord Jagannath and his siblings, the members of a supervisory committee set up by the Odisha government for the shifting of valuables from the Ratna Bhandar, entered the temple around 9 am.

Speaking to media persons before entering the temple, the supervising committee's chairman and Orissa High Court former judge Justice Biswanath Rath said, “We sought the blessings of Lord Jagannath for smooth completion of shifting of all valuables stored in the inner chamber of the treasury." Last time, the treasury was opened on July 14 after 46 years. On that day, the ornaments and valuables of the outer chamber of the Ratna Bhandar were shifted to a strong room.

Justice Rath also requested Puri’s Titular king and Gajapati Maharaja Divya Singh Deb to remain present in the Ratna Bhandar and oversee the shifting of the valuables from there.

Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said only authorised persons were allowed to enter the treasury with traditional attire. If the shifting of valuables will not be completed today, the work will continue as per the standard operating procedure (SOP). The entire process is being videographed." As per the SOP, CCTV cameras were installed and adequate security personnel were deployed around the temple, Puri Superintendent of Police Pinak Mishra said.

"Snake catchers, Odisha Rapid Action Force personnel and fire services officials have been kept on standby to deal with any emergency," an official said.

The temple administration restricted the entry of devotees into the shrine from 8 am on Thursday.

"Only authorised persons and a handful of servitors have been allowed to enter the temple when the shifting of valuables is being carried out," an official said. PTI